On June 26, 2015, Aetna Life Insurance Company filed a rate increase request of 9 percent on its Essential Premier Health Insurance plans. The plan is only available to members of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) as part of a group association trust. It is no longer marketed for new sales in Connecticut.

These plans are grandfathered under the federal Affordable Care Act, meaning they were marketed before March 23, 2010, the date the ACA was enacted, and do not have to comply with the ACA mandates if there have been no major changes to coverage or benefits since then.

The company said the proposed rate increase reflects an increase in the cost of medical services and demand for those services. Aetna calculates “trend” – the impact of those factors – to be about a 9 percent increase on premium rates.

If approved, the new rates would take effect on January 1, 2016 for 150 policyholders in Connecticut.